


Retribution

by itbeajen



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, Anya - Freeform, Byakuya - Freeform, F/M, Hector (Fire Emblem) - Freeform, Hoshido, If you haven't finished birthright or conquest, Nohr, Please love Takumi, Roy (Fire Emblem) - Freeform, There's going to be cameos of a lot of other characters, but kiran is technically reader, but mostly takumi and kiran, not really character death but..., not spoiler free, something similar i guess, this will definitely be spoiler-y for you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-09 13:52:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10413639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itbeajen/pseuds/itbeajen
Summary: In the Askran Kingdom, Heroes are summoned from incredibly rare orbs. These orbs come in four forms. Red orbs that reminded one of their fiery passion and dedication. Blue orbs that calmed the soul and one that reflected clarity. Green orbs reminiscing the calm of nature and its productivity. And last, but not least, the colorless orbs that reflected your own soul, untainted and blank.These orbs are what connects those from other realms and worlds to the realm of Askr, where they are renamed to be Heroes. When you, the summoner, uncover a hidden truth behind these orbs, you can’t help but worry over the Hero you were closest to. After all, if their orbs truly are a part of their soul, what happens if that orb is scratched? Cracked? Shattered into a million tiny pieces?You didn’t want to find out. You were hoping you never would.But no one heard your prayers.Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.





	1. Flickering Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Totally inspired by http://takumeat.tumblr.com/post/158494395007/for-all-those-feh-fanfic-writers-andor-artists. Who would’ve thought I’d ever write a FEH fic. Not me. Also, I have this headcanon about the FE Heroes, and that they can be pulled in from different dimensions. So here, I have Birthright!Sakura and Conquest!Takumi.
> 
> On another note, the summoner is female and this is essentially a reader-insert, but I’mma let you be called Kiran so they’re not always like, “THE SUMMONER”

"Job well done yet again!" Hector chuckled as he hefted his axe over his shoulder. He glanced around at the other three leaders directing the front lines. Roy smiled in response, and laughed, "It wasn't too bad."  
  
"Your father would be proud of you, such a shame Kiran hasn't gotten a chance to summon him yet," Hector chuckled, and then said, "Good job sniping down the units for us again Takumi."  
  
The young archer nodded, and with a small smile he said, "It was nothing much."  
  
"I bet your siblings would be proud of you," Roy laughed and he said, "Let's hope Kiran can reunite our families together soon."  
  
Takumi nodded, but a part of him wasn't sure if he'd ever see **his**  family again. But regardless, he was still grateful for this second chance at a different life, despite the pure absurdity of the situation they were put in.   
  
***  
  
_It as only your second time summoning. The first summon brought you the ever loving princess of Byakuya. The amount of chaos and smoke that filled the air was no joking matter, and it took you quite a while before managing to calm the rather skittish girl down. You adjusted your hood, and glanced at Sharena who merely offered you a bright smile and an encouraging, "You can do it! You're the great summoner after all!"_  
  
Your grip on the Breidablik tightened, but you can feel the after effects of a tremor going through your entire being. The power of this legendary weapon is ridiculous. _You tempted a glance at the glittering white and gold gun._ I still can't believe this thing just spits heroes out. _Your gaze trails to the colorless orb that seemed to flicker between a shiny silver to a dull gray in random intervals._ I wonder... are these orbs their souls? Or a medium of pulling them out of their world and into this one? _You frowned, but sighed._ No point in thinking so hard about this when I won't get any answers. _You calm your thoughts and raised the gun to the altar once more._  
  
_You stare emptily at the summoning ruin, watching the intricate design that's etched into stone glow with a bright light blue. You can still feel that quake of energy that appeared to rush through your blood, and enrapture your entire being. Your fingers trembled slightly at the trigger, you already felt the ricochet once. With sheer willpower and determination, you fire. Once again, the vibration from the aftermath of another summon shakes everyone at the summoning ruins. Smoke erupts from the main artifact, causing you to shield your eyes as the wind lashes and whips around you. The coat Sharena and Alphonse had given you bellows in its wake._  
  
_You wait, and as soon as it dies down, you slowly raise your head, your gaze shifting away from the bleak darkness and into the light once again, only to meet the confused orbs that belonged to the older brother of Princess Sakura, Takumi. Upon meeting your gaze, he clears his throat, and his gaze becomes steely._  
  
_"Who are you?"_  
  
_"Uh, I just summoned you, I'm Ki-"_  
  
_"Brother!" Sakura interrupts you as she runs up to him. His eyes widened, and you can see a flicker of confusion and disbelief as he barely managed to catch his sister in his arms. You wanted to interrupt, or at least answer his question, but instead, you leave the two siblings to their momentary peace. After all, they were each other's only familiarity in such a strange realm._  
  
_Perhaps a few more hours had passed, and it wasn't until you were back at the safety of the castle lobby that you turned to the archer prodigy. He had been filled in by Sakura, or so you assumed from the amount of talking that had gone on. His gaze on you is questioning, and you meet that with determination. With a hand stuck out in offering, you calmly started over, "I'm Kiran. Just a summoner."_  
  
_His gaze is somewhat wary, but you don't blame him for it. After much deliberation, his hand gently grips yours, and you can feel the callouses that indicated his hard work over those years of practicing archery. A smile slowly tugs at the corners of your lips, matching his, as he responded, "I'm Takumi, a prince of Hoshido and wielder of the divine Fujin Yumi. It's nice to meet you, and I look forward to working with you, Kiran."_  
  
_Your smile was obvious now, although your hood still prevented him from quite seeing it, and you responded, "As do I. I look forward to our time together as well, Prince Takumi."_  
  
***  
  
The trip back to the castle was filled with chatter as heroes from different realms exchanged stories from their own or about the recent skirmish to each other. Takumi and Robin found themselves at the back of the long chain, idly talking about the skirmish.  
  
"Good job out there again," Robin chuckled as he wiped the sweat of his forehead. Takumi gave him a small nod and responded, “Likewise, you’re almost at your peak.”  
  
"That means a lot, coming from a veteran like you,” Robin smiled and then asked, “But are you okay? You’ve had more close situations than usual."  
  
Takumi frowned. He has been feeling slightly off, but even he was unsure what it was. He still slept and ate properly. His training regimen hasn’t increased too much, but it did seem like he was a bit more out of it than usual. He shook his head, “Yeah, I’m fine."  
  
Robin’s frown pierced through him, and Takumi knew not to underestimate the sharpness of the Ylissean tactician. But in the end, the sound of your voice announcing that you guys were almost back to the castle snaps both of them out of their thoughts. Takumi glances over at your hooded figure and resolved himself to do his best, regardless of his fatigue.  
  
***  
  
"Ah, Takumi!” your voice makes him halt in the castle corridor as you caught up to him. Despite the time spent together, your hood still draped over your frame, hiding much of your appearance to the heroes. He turns around, and you can see confusion written plainly on his features.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can we talk?” you asked. You had heard the concerns from your other heroes, in particular Robin who has been around almost as long as Takumi has. Takumi merely observes you, as though trying to figure out what it is that you were referring to. You flash him a small smile, “It’ll be quick, I promise."  
  
The two of you were loitering around one of the many gardens within the castle, although this one has to be one of the most obscure ones. You sat down by the fountain and softly asked, “How have you been?"  
  
He glances back at you and stops his pacing and he shrugged, “Okay. It’s the same thing everyday. Wake up, go training, and if we’re unlucky, be called onto the battlefield."  
  
His gaze finally rests on you and you easily responded, “That’s good to hear. But Takumi,” there was a pause, and he can feel the concern in your voice and in the heavy silence that filled the air, “I’m not overworking you, am I?"  
  
He turns to you, and you continued, “I feel like every time there’s a skirmish somewhere, I send you off first. I do know I rely on you a lot, but I just-"  
  
"Are you going to put me on the reserves?” his question was sharp, but there was a hint of worry and you frantically shook your head, “No! That’s not it. I’m just concerned that I’ve been working you too hard. You’ve been getting injured more often than usual. I’m just worried about you!"  
  
"I’m just another Hero that you can easily summon again, there’s no reason for you to-"  
  
"Don’t say that,” you muttered harshly. Takumi could see your figure tremble slightly, and he prepares an apology, but he never gets to say it. “You’re important. So please don’t belittle your own worth like that."  
  
He flinched. _Stop. Don’t say those words like you know who I am and what I’ve gone through._ His fists tightened. _The family and loved ones that I’ve lost, you don’t understand. My own family betrayed_ -  
  
"I don’t want to lose anyone,” you quietly mumbled, snapping him away from his thoughts. You were no longer looking at him, your gaze trailing off to the distant horizon. “Every time I send you guys out onto the field, I know that one of you will come back with an embarrassed smile and an apology that you ‘failed’ me.  
  
"I never consider any one of you failures. You each have your own strengths and weaknesses. I understand that you guys come back injured, but are easily healed right away. But even then, I know you guys are in pain, and you guys just suck it up and go back onto the field and,” you paused, taking in a deep breath before looking at him again, “So please, just tell me if I’m working you too hard."  
  
In the end, despite getting an acknowledgement from him, you couldn’t help but worry. The shadowy tendrils of a dark purple that occasionally seemed to flicker around him didn’t help his case either. Your eyes trailed after his figure as he walked away. _Please Takumi, stay safe_ _._  
  
_***_  
  
Takumi laid down on the bed that was assigned to him upon his summoning and he idly looked around the room. He wasn’t searching for anything in particular, but your words were bothering him.  
  
"Don’t belittle your own worth’,” he softly repeated, and then answered, “It’s hard not to."  
  
_I_ _witnessed my beloved country fall to ruins. My sisters taken captive and my brother gone. And the cause of that was my own brother. The same brother who was supposed to be my family. And yet had chosen another family over his own blood._ Takumi closed his eyes.   _I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to go back. If I go back.._ _._  
  
He can still remember those slips. Those moments in which he was no longer **himself**. _Don’t think about it. As long as I don’t think about it, I won’t remember that feeling of_ -  
  
"Takumi?"   
  
Your voice was gentle and soft, and it cause his eyes fluttered open and he frantically sits up in his bed. He didn’t even check his reflection to see if he looked composed enough for a visitor. But in the end, he clears his voice and responds, “Yes?"  
  
"It’s me,” you paused, and asked, “Can I come in?"  
  
He shuffled forward, unlocking the door for you to come in. You walked in, clearly nervous about entering his room, but at the same time curious about the interior. It was as you had expected it. With the amount of resources the Askrans have, Takumi had redesigned the interior to recreate his home in Hoshido.  _I wonder if it’s too foreign of a design? But this is home for me, and_ -  
  
"It’s nice,” you complimented as you sat down on the tatami mats. You give him a bright smile and you can see his cheek flush pink. You finally relax onto the mat, leaning back and using your arms as support. Your hood slips off, revealing your rather pretty features, and surprising Takumi.  
  
"W-Wait a minute,” he stuttered and you glanced up at him, and it was only then did you realize the hood had slipped off. You give him a sheepish smile and laughed, “Whoops, the cat’s out of the bag."  
  
He dumbly stared at you and only managed to ask, “Why?” But even then he couldn’t fathom why you would hide it. You merely shrugged and responded, “Because of responses like this?"  
  
Before he could even protest, you continued, “Not like it’s a bad thing! And plus, it’s just easier to have an unidentified person as your tactician. I’m sure most of the heroes would dismiss my opinions if they knew my gender."  
  
Takumi frowned, and he responded, “I wouldn’t."  
  
"Thanks Takumi,” you laughed, and then you patted the floor and said, “Sit down, won’t you? My neck’s going to hurt."  
  
"Ah, my apologies,” he quickly sits down and upon making himself comfortable, he finds that you’re staring at him again. Maybe it’s because it was the first time he had been alone in a room with a female, but he was nervous. _My heart is beating so fast. I know I’m nervous, but maybe it’s because this is a different kind of nervousness. Maybe it’s because she’s not comparing me to Ryoma or_ -  
  
"Takumi?” you softly called his name, once again bringing him out of his thoughts. Concern filled his eyes and you asked, “Hey Takumi, do you remember the day I summoned you?"  
  
His lips pulled to a thin line and he nods, “I do, why?"  
  
"Did you,” you paused, and you changed your question, “No, do you still have it?"  
  
He tilts his head, it was an ever so slight tilt, but you clarified, “Your orb."  
  
A look of recognition crosses his face and he slowly nods his head before approaching a pile of blankets and pillows at the corner of the room. You watched intently as he comes back with a small simple white wooden box. He sits down, his fingers wrapped tightly around the box and he softly admitted, “I haven’t looked at it since you handed it to me."  
  
His gaze slowly trails up from the box to you, but he doesn’t say anything and you glanced away from his stare and down at the box. His fingers trembled against the small padlock, but in the end he resolves himself to slowly open the box.  
  
As he pulled the lid back, a velvety red cloth covered the orb. The outline of the orb made it appear smooth, and you desperately hoped it was. He reaches down, but his fingers are trembling and he hesitates.  
  
_W_ _hy can’t I bring myself to show it to her? What am I scared of? Why does it-_ Takumi’s thoughts are cut off when he swears he saw a shadowy purple tendril slither from the orb. He starts and is shocked. His eyes widened in fear, and he felt that overbearing presence that he had kept locked in the deepest parts of his memory.  
  
_B_ _etrayed. By the one called family. Mother.. Ryoma.. Their lives forfeited for… Corrin_. Takumi’s eyes flickered red, and yours widened in return upon seeing the startling sight. _Hinoka… Sakura.. Held.. captive, and Corrin… Corrin_ _._  
  
_**Kill Cor-**_  
  
"-mi! Takumi!"  
  
He shakily raises his head to look up at you. You weren't sure if he was completely back to normal yet, but sudden tension and oppressive aura that filled the air caused your heart to palpitate rapidly out of fear. You were hesitant in calling out his name, but you needed him to come back. Your gaze was steady on him as you can actually **feel**  the aura of pure bloodlust gradually fade away. Unknowingly, a breath of relief escapes you, and you softly asked, “Are you okay?"  
  
He lowered his head in shame. _No. I’m not. No matter how much I want to ignore it and push it away, I can’t. I can’t. It won’t go away. It still haunts me. I just… I just wanted my family to be happy. I wanted to be-_  
  
"It’s okay if you’re not,” you softly reassured him and you leaned forward, resting your hand on top of his. His gaze flicked up to meet yours, and he's startled by the amount of faith you have in him. He can't find the strength to respond, but he's grateful for your calming presence.  
  
He doesn’t respond, but his fingers gingerly pick up the fabric and he pulls it back ever so slowly. A dull sheen of silver slowly peeked through, revealing the colorless orb that changed Takumi’s fate. But your eyes narrowed at the sight of the orb. You couldn’t help but feel apprehensive of the cloudy and murky nature of the once brilliantly shining orb.  
  
_R_ _obin said… the first signs of a damaged orb is the fatigue of the hero.._ You duly recalled as you gently reached out for the orb. Upon your touch, a shimmer of light flickers through the orb, as though responding to your energy. _The old tome did say that the orb was assumed to be the soul of the Hero. But they never had experience with the actual orb_ _._  
  
You gingerly pick up the orb, cupping it in your hands, and it flickered slightly before it was a radiant orb. Colorless by nature, but every now and then, you can see swirls and tendrils of light within it. _Now this looks more like the orbs that Robin has. They look so full of life and just brilliant in their own radiance. But Takumi’s… it seemed so lifeless earlier_ _._  
  
The pads of your fingers gently traced the surface, but you paused at the sudden scratch that contradicted the smoothness. Your brows furrowed as you gently rotated it until the offensive jagged dent faced you. _It’s… scratched? No, a shard broke off_ _?_  
  
_T_ _his can’t be._ You were in pure denial as your gaze frantically switched between the orb and the box. But you calm yourself down as you looked over at Takumi. The fantastic archer wasn’t even paying attention as his head was lowered and he stared into his hands that rested on his lap. _I can’t.. I can’t let him know. Not yet. I need more information. I have to finish translating that tome_ _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.


	2. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a completely different world, just because someone is familiar to you may not mean that you are of the same world, let alone timeline or realm. Despite their blood relation, it seems as though Sakura's and Takumi's relation to their respective world doesn't run on the same pathway as the other one does. 
> 
> In which a choice made by one person determines the fate of others, Sakura and Takumi are the products of their timeline's and realm's choices. As their summoner and tactician, you aren't sure of how to handle that; let alone tackle the problem down that relates to Takumi's orb.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.

"Kiran,” Robin gently called your name, and you looked up from the tome that was laid out before you. Sheets of paper were scattered and littering the desk in your small study, but you had made progress. Much more progress than Robin had expected when you had informed him that you were going to work on figuring out the ancient Askran tome. But he frowned upon seeing the creased lines on your forehead and he softly mumbled, “Have you slept? Eaten?"  
  
"No, and yes,” you stifled a yawn and you lazily waved a hand over at another corner of your desk. There sat two empty bowls and utensils on a small tray, an obvious indication that you've eaten. “Sharena brought me some tea and cookies a few hours back."  
  
Robin sighed. The more time he spent with you, the more you reminded him of himself, and he sat down on the spare chair beside your desk. It was one that was kept for the visitors, although that was rare and few as you more often than not spent your time looking after others instead of them looking after you. He leaned over, his gaze fleeting as he tried to figure out which one of the scattered papers was the beginning of your notes and where the end was. After much deliberation and confusing himself, he looks away from the mess of a desk.   
  
"Well?” he warily probed, and you sighed, “Takumi’s orb isn’t as… brilliant as yours. And there was a slight scratch too."  
  
"A scratch?” Robin’s voice was a bit too loud for your preference, and your finger flies to your lips, indicating the silence you desired. The tactician sheepishly rubs his neck and then asked, “Are you certain?"  
  
"Yes, I felt it,” you bit your lower lip, nibbling it slightly in thought. _I shouldn’t mention anything about Takumi’s sudden change in personality either._ Robin watches you intently and you sighed, “I need to figure out what all the possible consequences are. And if there’s a way to reverse the damage."  
  
"Did you see the part that was broken off inside the box?” he asked. There was a lilt of hope laced in his question, but the negative shake of your head caused his hope to falter slightly. He shakes his head and he gently reassures you, “I’m sure everything will be fine."  
  
_I hope so too._  
  
***  
  
"Brother,” Sakura’s voice is filled with concern, but there’s some strength behind it, as though being in Askr has brought her more courage and strength. Takumi turns to her, giving her his full attention and she asked, “How are you faring?"  
  
Takumi’s brows furrowed and he grumbled, “Why is everyone asking me if I’m okay?"  
  
But the older male immediately regrets his choice of words and the sting of his tone. The flicker of regret that crossed the visage of his youngest sister made him lower his bow as he takes a step towards her. She glances away momentarily before admitting, "W-Well, you seemed more tired than usual yesterday after combat. I was just worried."  
  
The last four words was admitted in a much smaller and softer voice, as though scared for another backlash from Takumi. But instead his features soften, and the tenseness of his muscles fade as he gently places a hand on her shoulder. He was fond of all his siblings, but he always felt more connected to Sakura. She was the youngest after all. _Sakura was always so timid and meek,_ he gives her an apologetic smile, _I'd do everything in my power to keep prevent her from walking my path._  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off so harshly," he repented and then gently ruffled her hair, "I'm fine though. After all, why wouldn't I be?"  
  
There was a playful smirk on his lips when she looks up, and she can't find an answer to his question. But the bright smile on her lips makes his worries and concerns fly away. She was always a welcoming presence to have. Her lips open, as though about to ask a question, but instead she hears her name being called. With a sad smile, she breaks away from her brother, and Takumi can almost feel the clouds shifting over from him now that his one ray of sunlight has gone away.  
  
_B_ _ut it is nice to see her smiling, and happy. It’s such a vast difference from… my_ _younger sister._ His eyes closed. _Despite having the same name and appearance, she's not **my** sister. Just as how I'm not **her**  brother_.  
  
***  
  
"Kiran?” Sakura’s voice echoed in your study, only to met with a soft, “Come here."  
  
But the voice wasn’t yours, and she frowned until she made her way to the corner of your study. Your sleeping figure was bathed in sunlight. The rays of light danced with each breeze that caused the curtains to flutter. The spots of sun danced across your hooded figure, casting a shimmer of white or a brilliance of gold to reflect upon the wooden structures within the room.  
  
Sakura looks at you with slight concern, but her eyes fall upon the Ylissean tactician who was just leaning against the wall by the window. He flashes her a small smile and she whispered, “I was called in by Kiran, but it seems as though this may have been bad timing."  
  
A chuckle escapes Robin's lips as he adjusted the hood on your figure, and he teased, "I'm surprised. I was only gone for a few minutes or so to direct a messenger to get you."  
  
Robin paused and his warm gaze lands on the princess. His presence emitted warmth and was just pleasant in general, but she can tell that even he had gone through a rather dark period of time too from the way he held himself.   
  
"Kiran was planning on talking to you regarding your brother," Robin softly admitted as his gaze trailed out the window. Sakura follows it, and there she sees the archery grounds where her brother was readying yet another arrow. She turns back to him, a part of her slightly startled to find that he was already looking at her and she softly mumbled, "Is.. Is everything okay?"  
  
Robin sighed, about to speak, but you shift in your sleep. Your head gently bumps the table and you sit up straight, eyes still closed with your mouth pulled into a thin frown. As though time was moving in slow motion, your hands slowly, very slowly travel up to rub at your eyes. Your two visitors watch with amusement as it wasn't a common sight to see their usual enigmatic and charismatic tactician being as lazy as a cat.   
  
A yawn escapes your lips and you stretched your arms up and above you, only to drop them back ungraciously onto the desk before you. Your fingers wiggled slightly as you tried to bring feeling back in and a lazy smile grows on your face as you glance up to see soft pink hair and warm chocolate orbs meet your gaze. Another small yawn escapes your lips and you greeted, "Hello Princess Sakura, thank you for coming on such a short notice. Sorry I fell asleep though, I'm quite tired."  
  
"N-No, not at all! I-I mean," she paused, albeit startled by your formality, and she never does finish her sentence as you gestured for her to sit down. You then turned to Robin and smiled, "Thanks for getting someone to bring her in for me."  
  
He nods, and his visage mirrors yours. He slowly peels himself away from the wall and pats your hooded head, "Work hard, but don't kill yourself over it, okay?"  
  
"I know,” you chuckled as you watched him leave. Sakura followed your gaze momentarily and she commented softly, “Robin is a good person, isn’t he?"  
  
"Yes,” you responded in a beat, and then turned to the patient princess. Sakura met your gaze, no longer did she hesitate as much, and you smiled, “Are you curious as to why I called you here?"  
  
She nodded, a flicker of her previous demure and meek personality peeking through for a moment, and your gaze drops to the ancient tome that was now shut close, with nothing more than a small bookmark peeking through. Your fingers trace intricate designs on the book, idly noting that it resembled the same design as the summoning ruins.  
  
Sakura waited, but she could tell that your thoughts were still trying to form as you struggled to start the conversation. The princess fidgets with the hem of her sleeves, not quite wearing her usual priestess outfit, but instead donning a simple kyudogi1. Sakura glances up at you, and you were staring idly out the window and upon noticing her stare, your gaze slowly shifts to her and you sheepishly smile, “Sorry. I’m struggling to find a way to talk to you about this, but I suppose it’s best if I’m just honest with you, isn’t it?"  
  
She nodded and you sighed, “Sakura, you and Takumi are siblings, but have you ever considered that you aren’t from the same... realm?"  
  
_Yikes, I could have said that better._ The shock that marred the young princess mirrored your internal cringe at the bluntness of your words. But you also noticed the resignation in her eyes and she, ever so slowly, nodded in agreement. If you weren’t paying close attention, you may have missed her next words.  
  
"Takumi… He is from a life in which our family was torn apart.. Our country destroyed and devastated from war,” her voice was like a whisper in the wind. But her admittance to your possible theory makes your heart drop and your throat grows dry. Sakura’s petite figure trembled and her arms instinctively wrapped around herself and she whispered, “Our.. sibling, Kamui, he- I mean, for Takumi, she, not he.."  
  
Sakura’s voice dropped, as though still in disbelief about the events that happened in a parallel universe to her realm. There was a short moment of silence, the tension hung in the air oppressing both of you. Sakura’s head had lowered, and her eyes fluttered close, “Takumi calls him Corrin. Corrin had chosen Anya over Byakuya, I mean..” Sakura paused again, and she gives you a small sheepish smile, “S-Sorry, I-I keep mixing up my timeline with Takumi’s. I’m sorry."  
  
You slowly shook your head, and you softly reassured her, “It’s okay, take all the time you need to tell me,” you paused, and then quickly corrected yourself, “If you want to tell me of course!"  
  
Sakura looks at you with slight confusion and you responded, "I may not know all the details regarding your world, or Takumi's, but I can see that it's quite painful for you two... especially since the paths that were taken on your two separate realms weren't the same."  
  
Sakura lowers her head and she mumbled, "In... In my realm, we have two kingdoms, Byakuya and Anya. For brother, they were known as Nohr and Hoshido. And our sibling.. ah, they," Sakura fumbled and you asked, "Would you like to draw it out if it makes things easier?"  
  
Your hand was positioned over a sheet of blank paper and an ink pen. Sakura gently grabs it and slowly begins to diagram it, all the while murmuring to herself, or to you. The paper was split in half, one side labeled as Takumi's and the other labeled as hers. You noticed as she went through the names of her siblings and the names of the opposing army of Nohr, and even of her sibling that caused the split between the two kingdoms; they weren't all the same in both timelines. _The names are different. But I suppose, with different timelines, even the names can be different._  
  
You sighed, and leaned back, "Okay, so.. Kamui, for you, chose Hoshido, and thus helped win the war for your family. But in Takumi's," you paused, glancing down at the sheet, "Corrin, chose Anya, or Nohr, and won the war for that family, but in return devastated your nation."  
  
Sakura hesitantly nodded, but mumbled, "I'm not sure if they actually won the war though."  
  
Your gaze flickered away from the sheet of paper depicting the history of the two clashing kingdoms to the once warm brown. _Concern. Worry. Sorrow._  You frowned, and you could feel your more protective nature come out. _Something scares her?_  
  
"Sakura," your voice brought the princess back to reality and you softly asked, "Is there something wrong? You look sc-"  
  
"Th-There's nothing wrong!" Her immediate reply shocked you, and she lowers her voice, and repeated, "There's nothing wrong. Not with me, but Takumi.. I believe something might have happened to him like it did to **my**  older brother."  
  
***  
  
Takumi sighed as he made his way into the castle's bathing area. He was forever grateful for the separation of genders for the bathing areas. He grew so paranoid of the unisex bathing areas back in his realm sometimes, and was almost never able to bathe in complete peace.  
  
The peaceful sound of the water trickling into the bathe and the calming sound of dripping water slowly stripped away the burdens of his mind and the oppressiveness of his thoughts. His fatigue that often lingered after each skirmish with the Emblian army and from each round of practice.  
  
He leaned against the tiles, enjoying the cooling sensation from the parts that weren't submerged in the water, and the calming warmth of the water that blanketed him. His lashes fluttered as he slowly and gently succumbed to the relaxing ambiance.   
  
_This feels really nice.. So relaxing and freed from all responsibilities as a leader._ Takumi's long ashen white hair flowed in the water around him, framing his figure as he slumped further against the tiles. _But still.. does my time here affect my life back home? But..._ He mulls over the thought and his lips tugged downwards as his thoughts continued down a darker path. _The war was already ending.. Corrin had already taken over Hoshido.. Hinoka nee-san and Sakura were both taken captive. Ryoma nii-san had.. ended his own life, and even Azura left to join Corrin._  
  
His hands unknowingly tightened into a fist and his brows were tightly knitted towards the center, causing wrinkles on his forehead. _Corrin.. I wonder if she even knew how much damaged and devastation she had done unto Hoshido. Her mother died before her own eyes, and yet she still chooses Nohr? Nohr, the same scums who sent her to Hoshido and was the cause of **our**  mother's death. Does she feel no shame?_   
  
To the view of any passerby, Takumi may have just been soaking in extremely hot water. But to anyone with a keen eye, the purple wisps that slithered in and out of Takumi as though he were excreting some sort of poisonous aura spelled danger. _That.. trash of a sister. She ruined everything, if she never came to Hoshido, if she had never came, Ryoma and mother would still be alive. Sakura and Hinoka would be happy, and our nation would be untouched from the consequences of war. If only.. If only.._  
  
_**If only Corrin had died. If I had managed to finish her off then, she would have never-**_  
  
Takumi's eyes widened as he immediately stands up. The water runs off of him, as though his aura forced it away. He shuddered from the cold air that seeked his warmth. It cooled his skin, reducing the flush of redness and he immediately wraps a dry and clean towel around himself, all the while escaping the bath and its illusory haven.   
  
_I shouldn't listen to those thoughts. I need to- I have to-_ Takumi froze in place. _Where can I go? If I still slip into **that**  even when I'm in a completely separate world, then what can I do?_

  
_***_  
  
You sat alone in your personal bedroom, but Takumi's small box sat on the night table by your bed. No matter how hard you tried to focus on the ancient tome before you, your gaze wandered back to the box. You were tempted to check on his orb once again. It was hard enough to gain permission from the sniper to hold onto it for "safe keeping reasons," but the real difficulty was to prevent yourself from constantly checking on the orb. With more and more info being transcribed from the ancient tome into the modern Askran language, the more your anxiety and fear grew from the possible predictions.  
  
_If the orb really is their soul, or at least, the medium that allows their being to reside in this realm, that would mean that if the orb does shatter there are two possibilities. The first one is hinting that they permanently die, and will no longer reside in either realms. The second one implies that they'll be sent back to their home._ You sighed as you dropped the tome back onto the bed and lie flat against the comforting mattress. Either options don't sound good. _If it's the second option, then he'll be sent back to finish the war between Hoshido and Nohr. And if Takumi's situation back home is as threatening as Sakura believes it to be, then he may end up forfeiting his life once he gets back home._  
  
You roll over and face the white box again. It was tempting to just open it and check on the state of the orb to make sure it didn't worsen. But instead, you closed your eyes and rolled to the other side. _But even then... both options basically spell out his end. You sat up and reached out for the box. I don't want that. Takumi deserves so much more than those options. I have to check, I need to see if there's a way to prevent it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this story is honestly consuming me to no end. Someone please save me. Hahaha. ;A;
> 
> On another note, when will Takumi come home to me on FE Heroes. OTL


	3. Inscriptions from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you being a bookworm was a good thing.
> 
> Sometimes though, perhaps ignorance was bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.

_"Kiran seems really tired recently."_  
  
_"Hey Robin, any idea why Kiran seems so sleepy recently?"_  
  
_"I hope Kiran's okay... I don't think Kiran's been this tired before."_  
  
Robin's Plegian coat rustled in the wake of his fast stepped pacing as he explores the castle corridors and hallways in search for one certain tactician.  
  
He halts in his tracks as soon as he walks past an empty garden, one that would often go unnoticed to anyone who was walking past without paying attention. It almost resembled one of the outer gardens if it weren't for the fact that Robin was outright looking for a certain white and gold clad summoner, he would've missed it.  
  
"Kiran!" Robin called your name from the balcony overhead, but no response. He frowned at how listless your form was. You were stretched out on the lawn, just lazily lounging on your coat. Your normally cloaked figure was disrobed, revealing a blue t-shirt and white leggings hugging your figure. Your arms were crossed with your face resting on them against the grass, your face turned away from the sunlight and away from prying eyes on the balcony.  
  
Robin sighed as he looked around.  _Where is the entrance to that garden?_  The Ylissean tactician frowned as he tried to narrow down the possibilities, but was surprised upon seeing a familiar archer walking towards him in the hallway.  
  
"Robin? What are you doing here?" Takumi asked upon seeing him. Robin sighed and asked, "Do you know how to get to that garden down there?"  
  
The Plegian tactician pointed down at your figure and Takumi raised a delicate brow, "Is that Kiran?"  
  
"Yes," Robin responded and mumbled, "Kiran's probably so tired that she fell asleep."  
  
Takumi frowned and asked, "Is there something bothering her?"  
  
"Yes, but it's not something we can actually help with," he responded. Takumi frowned and asked, "Not tactics?"  
  
"Not tactics," Robin mumbled.  _I could've been helpful if it was tactics._ Takumi hummed and then said, "The entrance is downstairs from here, you'll make a right and then there's a-"  
  
Robin stared blankly and Takumi mumbled, "Or I can just take you there."  
  
***  
  
Your vision was bleary as you opened your eyes. You were face with darkness and was automatically confused from the situation.  _Did I fall asleep? Gods, that means I must have missed the team that just came back. But Anna was with them so they should have been fine; but I really should have-_  
  
"Good morning, sunshine," there was a teasing tone in the voice, but your eyes widen in surprise upon seeing the familiar hues of brown gaze into your eyes. You don't move, not even the slightest, but a sleepy smile graces your features and you laughed, "Hi Robin."  
  
His smile falters slightly, and he asked, " _Are_  you okay?"  
  
"I am."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Another voice joins the conversation, and you slowly roll over onto your back to come face to face with Takumi. The sniper cocked his head slightly to one side, a teasing smirk on his lips and he asked, "After all, it's so unlikely of you to sleep so defenselessly."  
  
Your brows furrowed and you muttered, "No one else knows of this location but you anyways."  
  
The sniper was more than confused, but the smile on his lips made you want to protect him even more. He sighed and sat down beside you, and Robin gently asked, "But Kiran, are you sure you're okay? Everyone's noticed how much you slave over those tomes in the library."  
  
You nodded, but another yawn escapes your lips, causing your fellow tactician to laugh. He gently flicks your forehead and chided, "Come on, let's get you back to the commons, Anna and the royal siblings are looking for you."  
  
***  
  
"I heard you guys were looking for me?" you asked as soon as you walked in. Alfonse looked up and he gave you a soft smile, "Kiran, there you are. We heard you were overworking yourself."  
  
You immediately glanced over at the purple coated tactician who was already averting his gaze from yours all the while whistling a silly tune from god knows where. You sighed and mumbled, "I've been fine though."  
  
From the looks the trio gave you, you quickly added, "Really, I am!"  
  
Anna sighed and waved a hand, "If you say so, but please Kiran. We need you healthy and safe, if not we're going to be in big trouble without a tactician and a summoner."  
  
"I know," you reassured them again and Sharena asked, "What have you been reading up on anyways? It's so weird that you've been so busy researching that you even dragged Robin here to help you."  
  
"It's about the orb of a hero. I've seen passages in books that call it the hero's 'soul'," you paused and sighed, "I was just reading up in case something should come, that's all."  
  
You didn't miss the side glance that Robin sent you, but the siblings glanced at each other before looking over at Anna who nodded. Alfonse sighed and offered, "We have a private study that's only accessible by the royals, but if this is for the good of the heroes and our cause.."  
  
"We can read them?!" both you and Robin fell hook, line, and sinker for the offer, and Anna burst into laughter, "The two of you really  _are_  book worms."  
  
"Ah, well," Robin sputtered in embarrassment and you nodded eagerly, "There's never enough knowledge in the world!"  
  
"Well then, I guess we should get you started then," Alfonse laughed as he walked away first, "Shall we?"  
  
***  
  
"To think they had an entire room hidden from us," Robin murmured as he walked through each aisle. With ease, he removes a book from one of the higher shelves with his magic alone and begins leafing through it. His eyes widen in disbelief and he muttered, "To think the Askrians had such strange strategies! So many of these are unheard of, and definitely not in my realm to say the least. Right, Kiran? Aren't these just-"  
  
Your nose was already within a book and Robin just chuckles instead at the way you scrunched yourself into a small corner with nothing more than the rays of sunlight filtering through the window as your reading light. He picks out a few more before settling down beside you. But almost as soon as he got comfortable and at a good reading pace, the gasp that escapes your lips doesn't go unnoticed by him.  
  
"Kiran? Is everything okay?"  
  
He glanced over, but upon seeing your skin look paler than usual, he feels a tightening in his stomach. You licked your chapped lips in an attempt to speak easier, and you softly whispered, "No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"Robin... Has Takumi... has he been healing properly?"  
  
"Healing? I'm not sure, why-"  
  
"Things.. may be getting worse." You quickly folded the corner of the book, causing Robin to wince slightly, but you closed it and placed it within your robe pocket.  
  
_I have to read more. And figure out what's going on. Or this... this could become so much worse._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At some point, I did lose interest for this fic. I found myself being unable to finish the outline completely, I was just missing the last chapter. But I've been writing a lot of Fire Emblem stuff recently (although I only posted one since the other one is a project), and decided I should finish this baby. 
> 
> Hopefully I'll be able to finish it before summer ends.


	4. From Wounds to Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.

**You were never the favored child.**  
  
_Perhaps I wasn't, but mother loved me. Even if she-_  
  
**Loved? You? You are nothing compared to your siblings. Your katana skills are mediocre compared to your older brother. You cannot brandish the naginata like your sister.**  
  
_Ryoma nii-san_   _was unmatched with the katana. Hinoka nee-san's natural talent with the naginata cannot-_  
  
**And your archery skills are only good because Corrin wasn't there.**  
  
_I-_  
  
**You were only given the Fujin Yumi because Corrin wasn't there. Would Mikoto really have given it to** **_you?_  **  
  
_Mother never discriminated. She-_  
  
**Mikoto would have given it to her rightful daughter; not you. Never** **_you_. It was never meant for you. You were never the chosen one. You were not destined for anything. You are  _not_  important.**  
  
_Stop. You know nothing. Mother loved all of us even if we weren't her children._  
  
"-mi."  
  
**And Sakura? Your beloved sister's kind and understanding disposition is preferred over you-**  
  
"-kumi?"  
  
_Shut up. Shut up. Stop. Shut. Up._  
  
**No one loves you. No one needs you. You are not** ** _needed_.**  
  
"STOP!" Takumi sat up in cold sweat. His breath was labored, but in his haste to wake from his nightmare, he failed to recognize the presence of a rather dainty flower sitting beside him.   
  
Sakura flinched and watched with wide eyes as he attempted to calm down. His entire figure trembled slightly as he ran his hands through his hair in order to relax. She took in a gentle breath and called his name once more. But she feels her heart ache at the way he freezes at the sound of his name. As though he wanted to be anyone other then himself.  
  
"Brother.. are you okay?"  
  
Although he makes no audible response, she sees it in the way his composure. His breathing slowly begins to even out, but his eyes speak fear. Anxiety. Disbelief. And doubt.   
  
_I know I'm nothing like Ryoma nii-san or Hinoka nee-san, but I'm still.. I'm not..._    
  
"Is everything okay?"   
  
He slowly shakes his head, but he doesn't explain anything. His entire body trembles as he shakily takes in a breath. He doesn't know what to say. Doesn't know  _how_  he can explain it. A part of him wanted to push Sakura away. He wasn't sure if it was out of fear of potentially hurting her, or because of his own disgusting selfish personality.  
  
Sakura gently takes his hand in hers. Her soothing touch appeared to help ground the silver haired male. He looks over to her and the soft smile and unadulterated  _acceptance_ that shone in her eyes makes him sigh in relief.  
  
"Thank you, Sakura."  
  
Her eyes widen slightly in response, but then it softens. "Anytime. I didn't expect you to be taking a nap in the garden though."  
  
Takumi glanced around and then dryly chuckled, "I guess Kiran's been influencing me."  
  
Peaceful laughter spilled over their lips, and the renown archer from Hoshido lets out a breath of relief at the peaceful and soothing atmosphere. But it quickly ends when the sound of rapid paced footsteps on tiles that causes the duo to look up. They come face to face to a stoic and composed red head who looks slightly surprised to see them there.  
  
"Oh? Sir Takumi, Lady Sakura, will you two be attending the meeting tonight?"  
  
"Meeting?" Sakura echoed.   
  
"Yes, it's tonight."   
  
"Oh, thank you, Lukas." Takumi responded naturally as he slowly got up. His hands thread through his hair as he retied it, and he asked, "Is everyone else already present?"  
  
"Well, no," Lukas winced, "I overheard Lady Anna and Kiran speaking about holding one. But no real announcement was made until about half an hour back."  
  
"Is that so?" Takumi murmured, Lukas waits patiently for an answer, and the archer nods, "We'll be there shortly. You should go inform the others."  
  
A rare smile is on the soldier's face, and he nods before parting ways. Takumi lets out a sigh and Sakura mirrors the action shortly afterward. "I hate those war council meetings."  
  
"I dislike them as well, but you just dislike having to speak up in front of everyone," Takumi teased. Sakura flushed pink and pouted, "It's hard speaking up around so many other heroes!"  
  
Takumi nodded, and Sakura asked, "Must we go?"  
  
The older boy chuckled and gently ruffled her hair, "Of course we do. As one of the older heroes that have been around, we have to be there."   
  
"Kiran would be upset if you weren't there," Sakura laughed, causing Takumi to grumble, "Honestly, Robin might as well be the new favorite with the amount of time Kiran spends with him."  
  
A gasp escapes his younger sister's lips, and a teasing smile takes over when she teased, "Are you  _jealous_?"  
  
The immediate flush that blossomed on his face gave away his true answer, but he barely stutters out a 'no' in response. He does his best to regain whatever image he had before, but in the end he gives up as Sakura bursts into laughter. He shakes his head fondly, but internally he sighs.   
  
_I really wish times like these can last a bit longer._  
  
***  
  
"Takumi, can I talk to you?"   
  
The archer pauses and Sakura turns too. You immediately look over to the healer and gently stated, "Just Takumi, I'll talk to you later, Sakura."  
  
Sakura nods, and the door creaks close. Takumi glances at you. His eyes showed nothing but curiosity, and you weren't sure if you should be glad, or if you should be concerned. But you dismiss it momentarily and you asked, "Do you really think I should try summoning again?"  
  
Takumi hummed momentarily. You can't read his thoughts, but from the way his fingers slightly twitched, he must have been counting to find out when was the last time you  _did_  summon. After a moment of thinking, he nods, "You really should."  
  
Takumi paused at the sight of your expression. Your normally composed and bright personality seemed to dampen at the thought of summoning. And he asked, "Why not?"  
  
"Well," you sighed, "I really feel like our current teams are great. The units get along together well, and they know each other's personalities and such. I'm just scared that the new heroes, if and when I do summon them, won't get along."  
  
You hesitated, and you mumbled, "And of course, duplicates. It's even weirder when they're from slightly different timelines."  
  
Takumi winced at that, and you quickly added, "I mean! There's really nothing wrong with more heroes. It's just.." you paused, and softly mumbled, "We're in the middle of a war. Everything is hard, resource and time is scarce. I really can't afford to summon heroes right now."  
  
Takumi nods and asked, "Maybe after?"  
  
You paused and mumbled, "Maybe. If... If we really need to, I'll summon later. I guess," you sighed, "The next battle that's coming up will determine if I need to summon."  
  
_But I really hope I don't need to. I have faith in them. I do._  
  
***  
  
_Shit._  Takumi dashed up a hill as fast as he could. But honestly, he should have tried to run downhill instead. He glanced back, and Robin is slightly panting from exhaustion.   
  
"We should have stayed with the group," Robin muttered as he began casting another spell. His tome glowed a bright blue and another burst of magic courses past Takumi, generating a gust of wind that bellowed past him.   
  
The sounds of arrows cutting through the air is heard as Takumi snipes down more Emblian soldiers. But the grunt of pain from behind causes Takumi to glance back momentarily as an axe user somehow made their way past him and towards Robin.   
  
"Robin!" the archer shouted before quickly launching another arrow. The axe user grunts in pain before stumbling backward and downhill. Robin mumbles his thanks and the sound of Hector and Roy at the base makes the duo uphill sigh in relief.  
  
"So glad we got through that safely," Robin mumbled. He gives a quick sigh and Takumi nods in agreement, "That was... rather risky."  
  
"At least we can head back now. We've secured enough ground, I'm sure Princess Veronica wouldn't be willing to lose anymore troops.. and she can't capture this world for now," Robin gives Takumi a small grin, "Kiran will be glad to see us back safely."  
  
***  
  
"Hmm, hey," Roy runs up to Takumi and taps his shoulder, "You're still injured?"  
  
Takumi glances down at his wounds and muttered, "I don't think so. I'm sure that blood is just dried up."   
  
He doesn't touch it though, but his brows furrow in confusion.  _I was pretty sure I would have healed by now. The healing properties in this realm are quite different from back at home._  
  
But his thoughts are pushed away as he makes his way towards his private room and bath. He wasn't sure if he wanted the others to know that he wasn't healing properly. No, he certainly didn't need them to worry about him incessantly. He wasn't sure if there was anything wrong, but he didn't want them to be too concerned.   
  
As soon as the water pours over his skin, it's as though he feels his entire body renew itself. As the ripples of water flowed down his skin, he feels his taut muscles relax from the heat. His hair is clinging to him, but he feels the dirt and exhaustion wash away along with the water. But as soon as he applies pressure onto his skin with the soap, the familiar sting of an open wound causes a hiss to escape his lips. His eyes widen in shock and he glances down at his arms and legs that were marred with scratches and bruises.  
  
_I thought... they should have finished healing by now._  He winces, but continues to finish cleaning up.  _I should get Sakura to heal them for me after this._  
  
_***_  
  
"Brother?" Sakura's voice is muffled through the wall, and Takumi responds just loud enough for her to hear. He hears the sound of the door open and she peaks in, head first with her staff just above her. As she makes her way in, he can see the worry and concern in the air as though it was a cloud hanging over them.  
  
"I'm fine, they just didn't heal properly."   
  
He wasn't sure if those words of reassurance were for her or for himself. But he can see the relief in the gentle and warm roseate hues that always helped him relax. He lets out a sigh as the healing aura washed over him. The cuts and bruises glowed a pale green, and he audibly lets out a sigh of relief as he feels the fatigue ebb away.  
  
But even though she can see the wounds visibly healing, Sakura's heart can't help but rapidly pump within.  _The slow healing, the way they seem to linger and form scars on his skin.. what if.. what if it's happening here as well?_  
  
Her hands tighten on the hold of her staff, as though willing it to heal him faster, to make sure those scars disappear. Because if they disappear, she won't have to worry either. However, she can't help but feel as though that gnawing feeling inside is correct.   
  
_I'll have to talk to Kiran tomorrow._  She glances over at him once more, and he seems tired even after she finished healing him.  _I have to._   _I will._


	5. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Sakura was about to tell you the details of her life in another world, it seems as though the world you currently inhabit just got infiltrated, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

“R-Robin?”

 

The timid sound of the young princess causes the tactician to glance up from his work in the garden. It was nice to get some fresh air every now and then while reading up on the tactics of this world, and Robin was honestly a bit tired of being stuck in between shelves of books where there was no sense of time. He sends the princess a small smile as he gently tucks his bookmark into the tome.

 

“How could I help you, Princess Sakura?”

 

“I-” she hesitated slightly. She glanced around and asked, “If it’s not too much to ask, could you take me to where K-Kiran is?”

 

Robin’s eyes widened and he nodded. He slowly got up, brushing the grass off his coat as he picked up his tomes and scrolls. He finally looks at her, and notices the way her frame trembled ever so slightly and the way her fingers clenched her staff. He nodded and quickly gestured, “This way.”

 

***

 

There’s a soft knocking on your door, but you can’t hear it over the speed of your thoughts. Your hand was flying across the pages and pages of notes and transcription of ancient Askran language and details on the orbs and their importance. It wasn’t until you hear your name being called that you answered, “I already ate!”

 

“This is **not** the time for that,” Robin grumbled as he opened the door, ignoring the fact you didn’t say he could come in. Your eyes widened and you looked up to see him slightly exasperated as he heaved a sigh. He steps aside, and Sakura steps, as shy and timid as ever. Your gaze softens upon seeing the princess and you asked, “How could I help you, Princess Sakura?”

 

“It’s- It’s about big brother,” her voice trails off, but you immediately know what she means. You glanced at the door and nodded to Robin who closes it. The resounding click indicates the privacy. Your gaze flicked over your desk momentarily before you quickly organize everything as neat as you could in five seconds and you gestured for her and Robin to sit.

 

There’s a cup of tea placed before the trio and Sakura inhales the soothing scent of earl grey tea before softly starting, “I.. I mentioned before how there might be something wrong with big brother, right?”

 

You nodded. You were idly spinning your now empty cup of tea and asked, “Is there something about our Takumi’s behavior that reminds you of your older brother?”

 

“I… Yes,” Sakura glanced down. Her gaze was fixated on the tea cup and she mumbled, “My brother was partially possessed by a dark being back in our world. That being.. It..”

 

Her voice cracked and she shuts her eyes tightly as she tried to regain her composure. Robin hummed from beside her and asked, “It made him do things he’d usually never do, right?”

 

Sakura turned her head so quickly, you feared it may snap. But the way her eyes widened as she glanced at Robin made the older male give her a rueful smile and he mumbled, “I see.”

 

The Hoshidan princess glanced away, and softly continued, “Brother… He was forced to hurt those important to him. He.. It was as though he was being controlled.”

 

“Controlled…” you muttered and Sakura nodded, “I’m scared, Kiran.”

 

Your hand reached out to hold one of hers, and the moment you laced your fingers with the young princess, she squeezed tightly, as though you were the only thing keeping her grounded. There were tears welling up in her eyes and she admitted, “I’m so scared brother might be going through the same thing again. That being, it-”

 

Sakura’s words are cut off as soon as the alarm signals went off, alerting the entire kingdom of an invasion. You stood up immediately and commanded, “Robin, to the frontline. Take Takumi, Roy and Hector with you.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Robin’s exit from the room was calculated and rushed as he immediately went to find the main team. Your eyes narrowed at the map on the wall. The glaring red spots that flashed accordingly to the alarm confused you. It was only one location that was breached, yet the spot they breached was the one furthest away from the main kingdom and from the defensive lines. Your fist clenched, and you muttered, “Sakura, alert Elise and our other cavalry healers to head to the frontlines as well. Our infantries will be kept in the back. Any flyers should go forward as support to the frontline of attack as well.”

 

“G-Got it!”

 

She rushed out of the room, and you mumbled, “Such _great_ timing.”

 

You followed suit, running towards where Anna and Alfonse were last seen. But upon exiting the hallways, you hear shouts and the clanging of metal against metal. An arrow whizzes past you and immediately you turn around in slight horror upon seeing the iconic dark red of Embla’s soldiers.

 

“That’s their tactician!”

 

“Get rid of ‘em!”

 

 _Well shit._ You cursed beneath your breath as you sprinted for your life. You could faintly hear the sound of arrows being pulled taut and you immediately threw yourself to the ground as you heard them being released. You glanced up momentarily to see them fly overhead.

 

Footsteps thundered through the halls as you made the corner and immediately ran across your armored Heroes and you shouted, “Embla’s infantry squad made it inside the castle! They’re behind-”

 

You narrowly dodged a burst of flame and everyone who was there immediately became on guard. You feel someone push you behind them, and you glanced up upon seeing Effie and she gives you a small smile, “We’ll handle this. We have Henry and Jakob, we should be fine.”

 

“O-Okay! I’ll leave it to you guys then!” you sighed out of relief as you began your mad dash for others to inform. _It’s a good thing these heroes are used to fighting but…_ Your thoughts trailed to the main team that you sent to the frontlines. _What if the main enemy units at the infiltrated gate was just a diversion?_

 

You risked a glance around you. The outer castle still appeared to be rather… quiet. _No, it’s too quiet._ You slowed your footsteps, and upon slowing down, you narrowly missed running into a blast of magic.

 

“Oh?”

 

 _That voice._ Your gaze turned to the masked man on his horse. His lips were usually drawn into a tight line, but the scowl on his face made him shake his head, “All alone, aren’t you?”

 

“And if I am?” you spat back. You could feel your fingertips shaking just slightly, and you willed yourself to stop. _This isn’t the time for me to be fearing for my life. I’ve had closer encounters than this. And this is our field. We still have the advantage._

 

The masked man hesitated to come closer. And he muttered, “A trap?”

 

_So he’s as confused as me. If I just bluff this long enough…_

 

“Who knows?”

 

The coy tone in your voice made him narrow his gaze on you. It was just you and him in this hallway. Though you were sure that anytime now, someone was bound to come this way. _The armored heroes are still close by. If I could just get Henry or Hector here.._ You paused your thoughts and you asked, “So? What are you going to do? Just sit there all elegantly on your horse and stare me down, or what?”

 

He frowned and you watched as his hand snapped the tome open in his hands. The magic slowly filled the air and he smirked, “You shouldn’t bite off more than you can chew, Summoner of Askr. After all, without your Heroes around you,” he paused before throwing his hand forward, aiming his palm towards you, “You’re hopeless!”

 

You barely managed to dodge the magic aura, but the impact of it on the tiles near you launched you into the ground. Your shoulder slammed against the tiles first and you cursed in pain as you struggled to even sit up. You can hear him approaching and your gaze turns towards him. There’s an almost sad smile and he muttered, “Such a shame for talent to be-”

 

HIs words are cut off upon having a flurry of arrows being sent his way. Footsteps and the rapid clomping of hooves on tiles resonated louder and louder as they grew closer. The masked man cursed and upon rearing his horse to attempt to get away, another arrow manages to lodge into his shoulder.

 

“Kiran!”

 

You’d recognize that voice anywhere. You glanced over to see Takumi and he rushed to your side, stopping in front of you. He barely cast you a glance and he muttered, “You need to get out of here.”

 

“I know,” you muttered. Shadows are cast over you as you noticed your other Heroes rushing to your aid. Takumi takes a step back momentarily and offers you his hand, “Come on.”

 

Your hand slips into his easily, but your eyes widened upon noticing the patches of red on his clothing. _Those are in… the same areas as yesterday?_ His gaze follows yours, and he furrows his brows before dragging you out of fray and pushes you towards someone else and he demanded, “Get her to safety, Roy!”

 

“Got it, Takumi!” Roy’s hands on your shoulders were warm. The young prince gives you a small smile and he reassured you calmly, “Things will be okay. We routed the enemy in the entrance and I believe Effie and the others handled the small squad that infiltrated the castle.”

 

Roy’s gaze swept over you and he sighed, “I’m glad to see you’re not hurt though.”

 

“I’m sorry for causing you guys to be worried,” you mumbled. Your gaze is casted downwards, so as to hide the frustration at your own weakness, but also to hide the concern you had towards a certain archer.

  
_Those wounds… they’re clearly not fully healed since the last time I saw him. I…_ Your eyes closed tightly as your grip around your injured shoulder tightens. _Please. Please don’t let anything worse happen to him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me much longer than I anticipated to get this chapter out. And I know Possessed Takumi is actually a thing in FEH now, but I’m going to write this the way I had it originally, aka no possessed Takumi at that time. ;-; A small part of me wants to adjust the entire story to incorporate the Possessed Takumi, but this story has been ‘completed’ in the sense of outline wise for a REALLY long time, so I’m not going to tinker with the stuff I’ve already had in mind for this story! 
> 
> Though I do kind of want to write an angsty FEH verse for Possessed Taco.
> 
> Also, [wow this is a really long a/n] I do apologize if my writing style.. Changed? I played around with a lot of different styles since the last time I wrote for this story so I’m not sure HOW much I changed, but if it’s noticeable, by the gods I’m sorry.
> 
> On another note, I got this out before Evil Taco's GHB came out! I'm glad! :D I hope you guys enjoyed this!!


	6. The Princess of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the last attack by Embla, the Askran kingdom has decided that it’s better if they increase their might - which mean summoning.
> 
> But no one thought this summoning session could go so horribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly if I had the capability to completely rewrite Retribution so that my writing style was consistent, I’d do it.
> 
> On another note, if you’re someone new to this story and if you’re reading this in one sitting, please remember to drink water, eat food, or get some sleep. Otherwise, enjoy!!!

“ _This_ is exactly why I always nag at you to not bury yourself in books all the time,” Takumi nagged for the nth time as he supported you to the council room. His arm was around your waist and your arm was on his shoulders as you limped ever so slightly. You grimaced, and muttered, “I did my best to stall. I knew you guys were nearby, I just didn’t know how close I was cutting it.”

“Too close,” Takumi countered and sighed, “You really need to learn how to defend yourself, Kiran.”

“I _know_ ,” you groaned as he sighed yet again. His pace slows down ever so slightly as you shifted your weight from your injured foot to your uninjured one and you muttered, “Not like you would have been able to do much though, Takumi.”

“Huh?” he glanced over, slightly offended. Though upon seeing the teasing smile on your lips, his weak glare morphed into one of confusion and you teased, “You’re kind of weak to magic anyways.”

“Hey!” Takumi shouted and immediately you laughed. His anger quickly faded and his expression softened. He sighed and gave you a friendly nudge with his hip and mumbled, “I’m glad you’re okay though, really.”

Your laughter slowly dissipated and you softly murmured, “Sorry for making you worry.”

There’s a wry smile on his face and immediately he nudges you again. This time you counter back with a nudge of your own, eliciting a chuckle from the archer. He shook his head fondly and you chimed, “Thank you, Takumi.”

“Hmm?”

“For being there when I needed you,” you elaborated. He sighed and flicked your forehead not so lightly as you would have expected. Your hand gently rubbed at the area of damage and he chuckled, “Rely on me a bit more, won’t you?”

Your eyes widened and you smiled, “Of course.”

***

“So, exactly **how** did this happen?” Anna sighed as she rubbed her temples slightly. There’s a clear frown on her face and her brows were knitted tightly together. She nibbled her bottom lip in frustration and you surveyed the map and the areas of damage once more. You frowned and mumbled, “It doesn’t make sense how they had an entire infantry unit that managed to get past our defense lines.”

You pointed at the location on the map. It was the very back of the barracks near the library. You sighed and mumbled, “The only way they would have managed to do that is if they had a skilled magician to conceal their presence. But even then, an entire unit managed to sneak past our defense lines.”

“I think we need more mages that are skilled in reading those magic skills,” Sharena chimed in hesitantly, but upon seeing you nod in agreement, her smile brightened and she added, “I heard that Tharja and Henry are good with them! Apparently their home world had a lot of people who were capable of doing things like that with magic.”

“Is that… so?” you murmured. You quickly scribble down a note for yourself to talk to them about it later, and you sighed, “Well, we’re going in circles here. No matter who you ask, not a single person knows how they managed to get past our defenses. All I can think of is that we buff up our perimeters and repair any damages done to the castle.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alfonse sighed and leaned away from the table. He finally stood up straight and rolled his shoulders in order to relieve it some stiffness. He glanced over to you and he asked, “You’re okay though right, Kiran?”

At the call of your name, you glanced up and nodded, “I am. Genny patched me up nicely and I’m fine now.”

“That’s a relief,” he smiled and shook his head fondly, “Maybe you should start exercising more instead of being cooped up inside the library.”

There was a teasing lilt in his voice, but before you could retort, Anna clapped her hands twice for attention. Both of you turn to her and she sighed, “As much as I’d like to know how well Kiran is doing too, and she’s well, judging by how quickly she was going to snap at you, Alfonse,” she paused, a smirk quickly teasing them both before it faded into a more serious expression, “We need to figure something out regarding this.”

“Well, Kiran did say to increase perimeter security,” Sharena recalled. You nodded and Anna clapped her hands once more, this time with a bright smile on her lips. Your gut told you to run, but your brain told you that you were in the middle of a strategic meeting so therefore you could not run. Anna trained her sly grin on you and you weakly asked, “What are you thinking?”

“Let’s summon some heroes!”

***

“This is going to be so exciting!” Robin exclaimed as he trailed after you. Takumi decided to accompany you for the heck of it, though you can tell from the way he failed to control his smile that even _he_ was excited. You shook your head fondly and Takumi chuckled, “It’s pretty cool, watching Kiran summon.”

“Do you really shoot us out of your gun?” Robin asked. Your eyes widened in horror and Takumi failed to suppress his laughter and you glared at him. “Takumi.”

“I said nothing!”

Robin tilted his head slightly and immediately confessed, “But Takumi said your Breidablik shoots heroes out from it.”

“Gods, no, Robin!” you laughed and shook your head to will the image of you shooting a fully grown man or woman out of your gun. “We use the orbs that we’ve collected and place it within the ancient artifact. I don’t know the exact details of it, but apparently it connects our world to theirs and brings them over. You don't actually come **out** of the gun.”

“So it’s randomized?” Robin asked. When he received a nod, there was a noticeable sag in his shoulders and you asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Ah.. ah, well.. Well you see,” he stuttered and looked away. His cheeks were tinged pink and he mumbled, “I was really hoping that you might bring someone back from my world.”

Your eyes widened upon realizing that you only really had Tharja and Henry, yet both of them didn’t really seem to interact so much with the white-haired mage. Robin sent you a small smile and he softly whispered, “After all, I was summoned shortly after being reborn again anyways…”

“Reborn?” Takumi parroted. Robin startled slightly, as though he didn’t realize his thoughts were leaked out loud. Both of you paused to look at the mage and he sheepishly admitted, “I, uhm… Well, let’s just say it’s not every day that you get possessed by an evil version of yourself and proceed to kill said version of yourself and well, myself, to save the world and the people dear to you.”

“What,” you dumbly responded. Robin awkwardly laughed and Takumi asked, “You were possessed?”

Robin nodded, and he weakly shrugged, “Maybe I’ll give you guys the full story another day when we’re not short on time?”

“Definitely,” you eagerly agreed, and Robin smiled, “Thank you.”

“Now then,” you sang out and you pointed towards the relic, “Off to summon some Heroes!”

***

As soon as the puff of smoke faded, you were shocked to see a rather barely clothed female standing before you. She coughed as the smoke faded and blinked rapidly to get it out of her eyes. Her hand fanned her face and after finally breathing in clean, fresh air, she smiled and greeted, “Hi, I’m Robin!”

“Ro...bin?” you repeated. You spared a glance to your trusty fellow tactician who looked equally as surprised as you. The twin-tailed female nodded and sheepishly smiled, “I may have been on a summer vacation in the Outrealms…”

Her voice trailed off weakly, but quickly brightened up as she gives a small fist pump and confidently declared, “But I can’t turn my back on anyone who needs a sound battle strategy!”

“I’m... My name is Kiran, and I summoned you here. Uhm, are you by chance… the same Robin as this Robin?”

Your voice was laced with confusion as you pointed the male beside you. When you glance over though, Robin immediately asked, “Did Chrom really let you wear that?”

“Well, he wasn’t too happy with me wearing it, so we compromised with the cloak,” she laughed and immediately asked, “So another me.”

“How intriguing,” he hummed. Both of them scanned the other over and smirked. After a beat of silence, they both exclaimed, “Glad to know the other version of me is as good looking as I am.”

Takumi deadpanned and glanced over to you, but you merely shrugged in response and mumbled, “Hey, at least it’s someone he knows.”

“It’s **him** , but **female** , Kiran.”

“So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’?!”

“Hey, they’re getting along fine. If Robin isn’t freaking out, we shouldn’t either," you answered with a slight shrug.

Takumi glanced over to the two Robins, and he sighed, “Birds of a feather really do flock together. Looks like we got another bookworm then.”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“We already had one, that’s bad enough,” he teased as he glanced over to you. You felt the heat rush to your cheeks in slight offense and you whined, “That’s just rude!”

“Just being honest!”

“Yeah right!”

The peels of laughter that left his lips made you smile though, and after one last huff, you asked, “You guys ready for the next one?”

They all nodded and you immediately pulled the trigger. You closed your eyes tightly as the rush of wind and smoke blanketed the entire vicinity. You weakly opened your eyes to try to see the new hero, but the voice next to you reveals their identity before you can figure it out.

“Cor..rin?”

Your head immediately turned to the hollow voice of your dear archer. Takumi’s expression was filled with horror and disbelief. His eyes appeared the shake ever so slightly and he softly mumbled, “No.. why is she here?”

**There she is…**

You glanced between the two, and Corrin softly mumbled, “Taku..mi? Where are we-”

“No,” Takumi cut her off. He was slowly stepping away, and you softly asked, “Takumi?”

_Why? Why is she here? I finally- Why? Why is she here? Here? Does she plan on ruining my life here too?_

**Did you really think she would let you be happy?**

_I… I just wanted…_ Takumi paused and he winced as he felt a piercing pain at the side of his head. His hand flew to the clutch at the phantom pain and you rushed over to his side.

“Takumi?!”

Corrin stood there in shock at the reaction her younger brother had given her. The two Robins glanced between the two Hoshidan nobles, although the male Robin hesitated to label her as such. He glanced at her and quickly rushed to her side and mumbled, “I think we should get you out of here.”

“Wait, but my brother-”

“Kiran will take care of them. I’ll escort the two of you to the castle.”

Corrin bit her lower lip and mumbled, “But he’s in pain-”

“Trust in Kiran,” Robin softly reassured her. Both females looked concerned for you and the archer, but Robin smiled. It was a smile filled with trust and confidence and he stated, “Kiran will take care of him, I promise you this much.”

***

“Takumi, are you okay? What-”

“Don’t… don’t touch me!” he shoved you away with the back of his hand, causing you to stagger backwards. You managed to steady yourself before almost falling over and you winced at the amount of force he had put into that push. But that didn’t matter, not when he was clearly in pain from something that haunted him in his past.

 _Is it the thing Sakura was trying to tell me about?_ You gritted your teeth and immediately tried to reach out towards him.

But you don’t. Your eyes widen in horror as you notice those dark purple tendrils that appeared to exude from his being. Your hand slowly dropped to your side and you mumbled, “No, please.”

**There she is, that wicked sister of yours that took everything you loved and tore it apart.**

Takumi stood frozen in place, both hands still clutching his head and he murmured, “Corrin.”

**Yes.. _Yes_ … Corrin. Your beloved sister who chose those Nohrian scum over you. The sister that was supposed to be your sister. She abandoned you. Abandoned your family. For what? Why did she do it?**

“Because… she…” Takumi winced. _She wanted to protect… those Nohrians… even after they… killed Mother… Ryoma too… everyone… Everyone I loved.. She.. killed them_.

**She did… didn’t she? She took the happiness that you deserved. She stole it from you. _All of it._**

_She… it’s all their fault… I can’t forgive them… I cannot… She… Hoshido.. My family…_

Takumi cried out in pain as the dark tendrils seemed to swirl around him, slowly corrupting him. You glanced around, and upon finding there was no one to ask for help, you cursed. _As good as it is that Robin got the two girls to safety, what am I supposed to do on my own?! Can I really snap him out of it?_

“It… hurts…”

Takumi’s voice was so vulnerable, it pained your heart to hear it. You took a step forward and ignoring the tendrils that threatened to lash out at you.

“Takumi, I don’t know what it is that’s plaguing you, but you’re not alone!” you shouted. He appeared to flinch at the sound of your voice, but you caught the glance he sent to you and your heart dropped. _One of his eyes… they were lined with a vibrant purple._

You ignored the warning signs that told you to run. You refused to listen to your gut feeling. _Takumi’s in pain and there’s no way I’m leaving him alone_. Your entire being trembled slightly in fear at what his instability could do to you, but you gently take a hold of his wrist and pulled his hands away from his head. His gaze was filled with torment and anguish. Your hands gently brought his wrists down, and though he struggled weakly against your grip, you held on tightly and mumbled, “Please snap out of it, Takumi.”

“I have to… No… I…” Takumi furrowed his brows and grunted, “I can’t… I can’t remember.”

“It’s okay if you don’t remember,” you lied. Your grip tightened and you softly whispered, “But please, don’t let this power consume you. Don’t let it take over you. You’re **strong** , much stronger than you give yourself credit for, so please-” Your voice cracked and you softly rubbed his wrists and you weakly pleaded, “Please come back.” _Don’t let it take over you._

Whether your words got through to him, or if your gentle touch grounded him to reality, you noticed the tendrils of darkness slowly dissipate and disappear. With their disappearance, Takumi slumped forward, his forehead resting against your shoulder and you quickly removed your hands from his wrist to his shoulders to carefully steady him. His fingers twitched almost unnoticeably as he reached out to hold onto you, but he refrains himself from doing so.

The archer sighed and finds himself comforted from the small circles you rubbed into his shoulders and you hesitantly asked, “Are you okay?”

“I…” his voice was weak, and his throat was dry. But after letting out an empty chuckle, he mumbled, “I’ve seen better days.”

He slowly pulls away and your hand removes itself from his shoulders to gently take his hand into yours. You squeezed them reassuringly and you offered, “If you want to talk about it, I’m here you know.”

You noticed the flash of… something that crossed his visage. But whatever it was, you wouldn’t be finding out any time soon. He gave you a small smile, as though trying to reassure you that he’d be fine. He nodded and took in a deep breath, before softly whispering, “Thanks Kiran.”

He pulled away and sheepishly mumbled, “I think I’ll head back first.” As soon as he walked past you, he lowered his head in shame. His hands clenched tightly into fists and he bit his lower lip harshly. _How can I protect Kiran if I can’t even help myself? I… I just…_

He willed the tears back. He refused to cry. Yet it felt like someone had taken a stake and pierced it through his heart, because it hurt. Everything felt so numb and empty, but it hurt nonetheless.

 _I… I was just…_ He stopped walking and weakly looked up at the cloudy skies above the Askr ruins. _I can’t remember why I feel like this… It’s like… something inside me… is gone..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Summer!Robin is currently unavailable for summoning, but at the time I was outlining this story, she was summonable. Ahahaha. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed and may RNG bless you in your future summons!

**Author's Note:**

> What even, this was going to be a one shot and somehow or another this is going to get turned into a chaptered series. ROFL. I’ve been sucked into Fire Emblem so hard, someone please help me. Hahaha. Honestly, I don’t even have Takumi on any of my accounts (I have like four accounts: 6728358805, 3123525029, 7354565765, 1815287408). Anyways, I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into, but I guess I’ll just try to get this all over with before spring break ends (and hopefully finish my other chaptered works during spring break too).


End file.
